If anyone does not make it to the 8:00pm bed check, their belongings are gathered up and placed in plastic bags until the person comes to claim their possessions. All available beds are tallied and reassigned to those waiting outside the gate, hoping to get a bed.
The first night I waited outside at the gate was this past Sunday. On that evening 3 women and 9 men waited. There were no open beds for that night, everyone was sent away. I have gone to the gate each night since. Each night there are even more people waiting in hopes of a bed. Each night their were no beds available.
Tonight, though, 4 people did get in, 2 women and 2 men. That is out of the 35 homeless people who waited at the gate.
I have 6 days to go before my assessment at the St Vincent de Paul center, where I think my chances of getting a permanent bed with them are very good.
My cold symptoms are fading. That’s a good thing. I’m tired.
